In a world that had been dominated by technology, it is only natural that these tools are used throughout the classroom to promote technical ability in students all while increasing engagement. It is no secret that the influx of new technology has been overwhelming, causing attention issues and limiting engagement with traditional classroom teaching methods.

Gamification is a key buzzword in both education and corporations as people work to ensure that they are getting the most out of every interaction with the audiences in front of them. This became particularly important when virtual training, classes, and distance learning took the world by storm.

Kahoot is an online platform that can be used in a variety of settings, one of the most popular being the K-12 education classroom. Some teachers use the tools outlined in Kahoot to practice skills, prepare for, and take assessments, or even as a tool to help wrangle students who cannot seem to get out the wiggles.

What is Kahoot?

With the uncertainty and flexibility that came with the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a sudden and significant shift in the methods of teaching and interaction that was able to happen between a teacher and their students. The introduction of games such as Kahoot allowed for peer interaction even when people were nowhere near one another.

With a simple design, anyone at any age level can participate in Kahoot games, as long as they have access to a device such as a phone, tablet, or laptop. When in a game, the player selects the color that corresponds to the correct answer, with both speed and accuracy being key to earning the maximum number of points. With speed and accuracy being a primary focus of these games, students can maintain their attention on the task at hand with a fast-paced and competitive activity that has them striving to beat their peers, all while learning in the process.

Through Kahoot on the device of the learner’s choice, they simply input a game pin which enters that learner into the fame. It is through the easy-to-use user experience, both in developing the games and joining as a learner that makes this program so appealing for use within the classroom. Each of the games can be played either individually, or learners can be put in teams, further fostering collaboration and discussion of the topics that are being presented in the gameplay.

How Can I use Kahoot?

Having an account for Kahoot is completely free, but there are paid options for those who want to get the most out of their accounts including reporting on the games that are being played and additional questions that are valuable in a wide variety of settings.

If one has a teacher account for Kahoot, several additional features may be beneficial but are not required for basic use of the program. Among these features includes additional reporting, different game modes, additional formatting, and question types, and the creation of interactive lessons.

When developing a game, there are different types of questions that can be included: multiple-choice, multiple select, true or false, puzzles, sliders, polls, etc., with some of these options being specific to those premium account holders. Each of these specific question types lends its own specific value to presenting the information to the learners.

You can also add images and videos to questions to promote engagement with more materials or even develop lessons introducing new concepts. With all of the options available to creators of Kahoot materials, there is no limit to the impact that these games can have when passing information to the participants of their gameplay.

The Benefits of Kahoot

There are a large number of corporations that also use Kahoot as a platform for onboarding, competitions, and engagement among peers. Using Kahoot in the classroom, not only is it promoting learning in that general setting, but it is also providing access to another tool that may be beneficial in their professional careers. As teachers work with students, getting the information to students as well as providing valuable skills that will be beneficial in their academic and professional careers.

Kahoot games are generally multiple-choice questions that can be made into interactive games of the creator’s choice. There are also several ways these games can be created and utilized to maximize their effectiveness with a particular audience.

Through the use of gamification tools in the classroom, students can test their knowledge in a fun and engaging way, along with reiterating important concepts, and the repetition of these games helps the learners to retain the information in a more effective way. The additional interaction among peers opens up discussion about the information, which, in the long run, has positive effects on the retention of that information.

Kahoot as an Assessment Tool

Kahoot being used in the classroom can provide a unique method of assessing student understanding of the material, in which the teacher is able to observe the student’s interaction with the material in a freer environment that does not bring the same levels of anxiety that can be developed through traditional testing. While participating in a Kahoot game, learners are more open with their initial reactions to the materials,  combined with the competitiveness that pushes students to grow in their understanding of the material.

While there is reporting available to the instructor based on the games that have been played, the reporting for individual student data limits seeing student growth with the material that they are interacting with in the Kahoot game. Kahoot does bring forward a level of competitiveness, which can in turn cause students to team up to share their answers or mess with the responses of other students to ensure that they win the game.

If you want to use Kahoot for assessment in the classroom, it is important to set expectations and rules in advance for learners to ensure that you are getting a true perspective of where these learners are with that material.